Vietnam Veteran News with Mack Payne

In this episode another Vietnam Veteran, Larry J. Hunley of Buffalo, New York, will be highlighted. He is another outstanding representative of the Great Vietnam Veteran Generation in that he served his country well in war, came home and continued serving his community and country in the field of education.

There was a story about him in The Buffalo News titled: Pause from college provided gruesome education in war that was submitted by Lou Michel. Michel's story tells about Hunley being a bored college student at Buffalo State College. In his words Hunley "wanted to experience life beyond the city’s East Side." The US Marines provided him with an excellent opportunity to do that after Hunley signed up in 1972.

His high test scores in Basic and Advanced Infantry training got him assigned to a 40-member Marine detachment aboard the USS Newport News, a heavy cruiser naval gunship with a crew of 1700. In September 1972 Hunley began his deployment on the Newport News which consisted of round the clock five hour shifts of crewing one of the ship's gun turrets with two 5-inch barrels that provided fire support for the Marines on shore.

The shock of seeing wounded Marines being flown back to the on board sick bay was very sobering for the new Marine. It did not take long for something even more sobering to happen on the ship that changed Hunley's life.

At 1 a.m. Oct. 1, 1972, a catastrophic event occurred aboard the ship during a firing mission. An eight-inch shell in one of the larger guns on the ship malfunctioned and exploded in the turret. Twenty on board personnel were killed by the explosion, fire and smoke inhalation. Hurley will always remember the smell of burning human flesh.

His ship made it safely home to Norfolk, Virginia, on Christmas Eve 1972. After his tour with the US Marines off the coast of Vietnam, Hunley had a much greater appreciation for the value of a college education. He came home, finished his degree and began a career of service in the field of education.

Thank you Larry J. Hunley of Buffalo, New York for your service to your country in war and peace.

One of the darkest curses loosed on Vietnam Veterans was that of Agent Orange - the wonder chemical defoliant that was supposed to help us win the war. It not only failed in helping us win the war but it shortened and ruined the lives of thousands of Vietnam Veterans. It was sinister in that it would sometimes strike immediately after exposure with one of the many illnesses caused by its dioxin component. In other cases its deadly effects would hideously lay dormant in the body of the exposed person for many years and then unexpectedly manifest its presence with the appearance of one on the terrible illnesses.

In this episode, the story of one of those brave Vietnam Veterans whose life was claimed by the grim reaper doing the dastardly work of Agent Orange is featured. The demise of Pat Beard was covered in a story in The Twin Cities Pioneer Press titled: Pat Beard, former state rep and Vietnam vet exposed to Agent Orange, has died.  submitted by Bob Shaw - [email protected].

Pat Beard is another incredible representative of the Vietnam Veteran Generation, one as great as any that ever heeded the call of duty from our country. He passed away on February 7, 2017. His memorial service and funeral will be at 9 a.m. Feb. 15 at St. Rita’s Catholic Church, 8694 80th St. S., Cottage Grove, followed by a funeral Mass at 11 a.m. More about his passing at: http://www.wisefamilyfh.com/obituaries/Patrick-Beard/

Pat joined the US Navy in 1968 and served eighteen months in Vietnam as a Seabee and Navy Seal. He was awarded the Silver Star and three Bronze Stars for heroism. He came home, went back to college and earned a degree from the University of Minnesota then proceeded to spend a career in the steel industry.

Continuing in his service to country in 1982 he was elected to his first of six terms in the Minnesota Legislature. He was admired by all who knew him for his service to his neighbors, his community, his state and his country.

Thank you Pat Beard for your service to your country and for being a great American. RIP

One of the primary missions of this podcast is to build up and enhance the reputation and standing of the Vietnam Veteran Generation. Recently an event took place at the George Bush Presidential Library in College Station, Texas that did just that. It was described in a story in The Eagle Newspaper website theeagle.com titled: Vietnam documentary screening strikes chord with veterans submitted by Rebecca Fiedler [email protected].

Fiedler tells about a documentary viewing in the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center that was attended by veterans from all over the State of Texas. The award-winning film titled We Can't Forget Vietnam was shown. It was created by KWTX of Waco. The interviews in the film presented a gripping viewpoint of what it was like for the American soldiers who fought on those front lines, and how they, their families and companions were affected. Many in the audience were left teary eyed after hearing the dramatic testimonies of the veterans.

A panel discussion followed the showing of the documentary film. Sitting on the panel was Ret. Lt. Gen. Randolph "Randy" W. House, Vietnam combat journalist Joe Galloway and Ret. Lt. Gen Paul Funk. Galloway served as moderator for the panel discussion. He is the author of the New York Times best seller We Were Soldiers Once ... and Young: Ia Drang - the Battle That Changed the War in Vietnam that was made into a movie starring Mel Gibson who played the role of then LTC Hal Moore, the 1st Cav Division battalion commander who led the American forces in the battle.

The documentary produced KWTX offers a superb view of the war and veterans who fought in it. KWTX producers Don Smith and Jim Peeler deserve great credit in putting together the outstanding work of many at the station.

Every Vietnam Veteran and American should see this outstanding program. It is available for instant viewing at this link: https://vimeo.com/145907780

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B.G. Burkett in his book, Stolen Valor, exposed one of the smelliest legacies of the Vietnam War. He uncovered thousands of cases of individuals who steal the honor off bona fide Vietnam Veterans with false tales of heroism in that war. In the opinion of this writer you can't get much lower than that and I am amazed at the extent of these deceptive practices. They have sharply impugned the service, fealty, and gallantry of some of the best warriors America ever produced who served in Vietnam.

This podcast will do its best to expose any charlatan who has been proven guilty of committing such egregious practices. In this episode one of those valor thieves who is now serving in the US Senate will be spotlighted. The Senator in question is Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut. Back in 2010, the senator admitted that he had misspoken about his service during an event in Norwalk and might have misspoken on other occasions.

A recent development resulted in the reemergence of attention directed toward the sordid behavior of the senator. The situation is described in the following articles: one is from The Toronto Sun titled: Donald Trump fires back at Sen. Richard Blumenthal, who 'lied' about service in Vietnam War and the other from The New York Times titled: Candidate’s Words on Vietnam Service Differ From History submitted by Raymond Hernandez.

It came about as a result of comments made about certain judges by President Trump. While Supreme Court nominee Neil Gorsuch was making a courtesy call on Senator Blumenthal he allegedly expressed derogatory opinions about President Trump's comments about the judges holding up his temporary ban on immigration from seven countries most likely to yield immigrants with murderous intentions toward America and its citizens.

Blumenthal could not run to the media fast enough to tell the world about what Gorsuch had said about President Trump. Trump countered with not only a challenge to the veracity of Blumenthal's assertions about the Gorsuch comments but also a broadside announcement that Blumenthal had lied about a solemn subject - service in Vietnam and was not a trustworthy source of information.

Listen to the podcast and you decide - comments are welcome.

In the previous episode we talked about the "Moving Wall" Vietnam Memorial being staged for an appearance May 11-15, 2017 in Gadsden, Alabama. All in the North Alabama area are encouraged to go and visit the Memorial. They will see a replica of the Monument in Washington DC displaying the 58,300 names of the fallen heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice for their country in the Vietnam War. Most all visitors to the Memorial are overwhelmed by the enormity of the grief caused by the those untimely deaths.

Due to the monumental heartache wrought by the Vietnam War it is imperative for all in this country to examine that harsh episode of our history so as to minimize the probability of a recurrence of such catastrophic events.

Air Force Vietnam Veteran Mike Scruggs has written extensively about the Vietnam War. Recently he wrote a column for The Tribune Papers of Asheville, North Carolina titled: The Biggest Political Mistakes of the Vietnam War. In the piece he talked about big mistake number 12 our leaders committed in that war. That opinion will be featured in this episode.

Scruggs believes our leaders running the war did not understand that both Marxist and  Islamic doctrines resort to truces only to build up strength to defeat the enemy.  Those doctrines allow only three reasons to negotiate:

To consolidate a victory.

To stave off defeat.

To open a new front.

The actions of President Johnson and Robert McNamara lead one to believe they either did not comprehend Marxist doctrine or they did not have the wherewithal to deal with the challenge.

President Nixon understood the challenge but Scruggs argues he was hounded by a hostile media and Congressional opposition to the point of coercing him to settle for an imperfect agreement with the Communists. The Paris Peace Accords eventually led to the North taking over the South.

One of the short comings of the deal for us and our South Vietnamese allies was the allowing of 220,000 NVA troops to remain in the South after the agreement.

Let's hope succeeding leadership of our country takes note of mistakes made in the Vietnam War and does not repeat them. We do not want any more memorials in Washington with 58,000 names of fallen heroes etched on its black walls.

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After all these years America is finally beginning to see it's Vietnam Veterans as the heroes they truly are. Across this great nation from coast to coast and border to border celebrations are being conducted in towns large and small recognizing the service of Vietnam Veterans and issuing them the thanks and recognition that was due them many years ago. On behalf of myself and all the other Vietnam Veterans, it is better late than never and we appreciate it greatly.

In this episode one of those appreciation events will be featured. It was described in a story found in The Gadsden Times titled: Vietnam War 'Moving Wall' coming to town and was submitted by Benjamin Nunnally a Times Staff Writer. Nunnally told how the Gadsden-Etowah Patriots Association is planning on bringing the Moving Wall, a half-size replica of the monument in Washington, to Gadsden, Alabama on May 11-15. The Moving Wall will be on display at the Convention Hall at 344 S 1st St in Gadsden.

In addition to the appearance of the Wall, the city plans to dedicate its 12th Street between Meighan Boulevard and Interstate 59 as the "Vietnam Memorial Parkway," and the "Vietnam Veterans Honor Bridge" on Alabama Highway 77 in Southside to honor its Vietnam Veterans.

To help defray the expense of bringing the Wall to Gadsden, Sheriff Todd Entrekin will donate time from his officers and volunteer staff, including the reserve unit and chaplain team, to ensure security at the monument, without a charge to the association.

According to John Graham, chairman of the Gadsden-Etowah Patriots Association, an additional $9,000 needs to be raised to make the event a reality. All who care about honoring Vietnam Veterans no matter where you live are encouraged to make a contribution to the Association.

To make a contribution, send a check with the word "Wall" on the memo line to  the Gadsden-Etowah Patriots Association, 342 S. First St., Gadsden, Alabama 35901. You can call 256-467-4042 for more information.

Psychologists tell us it is good for people to get together and talk in order to reduce stress and bad thoughts vibes. About 700 Vietnam Veterans and family members took that advice to heart recently. They got together at the Taylor County Expo Center in Abilene, Texas to reminisce about the Tet Offensive and other things. The event was reported on in The Abilene Reporter-News with an article titled: Veterans share stories at Tet Reunion that was submitted by Dan Carpenter in a Special to the Reporter-News.

Carpenter told about how thirty years ago retired Marine Sgt. Major Troy Hensley and eleven of his friends got together and started the Tet Reunion. The purpose of the reunion was for Vietnam Veterans who experienced the Tet Offensive in Vietnam that took place in February of 1968 to gather and share stories about the event.

Over the years attendance at the reunions continued to grow that now upwards of 700 veterans and family members attend the events. Hensley who lives in Wingate, Texas tells about the times Vietnam Veterans meet at the Tet Reunion who haven't seen each other for decades react. After the shocked looks all they can do is hug each other. At this year's reunion in addition to reminiscing about the Offensive there was a POW/MIA ceremony, a 50th anniversary Vietnam War pinning ceremony and a mock USO show, which culminated with the playing of “God Bless the USA,” while everyone waved miniature American flags.

The Tet Offensive was memorable in that it was the first time the Viet Cong and NVA forces made coordinated overt attacks on all the towns, large and small, in the country. What was a major defeat for the Communist forces was turned into a tremendous victory for the forces of darkness, the Communists. This unusual turn of events was heralded in by none other than the most trusted man in America - Walter Cronkite. Go figure!

In this episode Mack Payne, the podcaster, will be sharing a "feel good" story with the listeners about an upbeat Vietnam Veteran named Ted Durante from Cheyenne, Wyoming. Gayle M. Irwin wrote a story about Ted for The Casper Star Tribune titled: Chief Warrant Officer 4 Ted Durante, Cheyenne.

Ted served in Vietnam with the Navy Seabees. His time in country was a little unique in that he served a full twelve month tour all in the same calendar year. He got to Vietnam on the first of January of 1971 and his plane ride home on December 31 arrived at Oakland, California at the stroke of midnight just in time for the planeload of returnees to see a massive fireworks display as they landed.

As a result of his experience of working summer construction jobs during high school in Cheyenne, he decided to opt for the Navy Seabees when he joined the military to beat the draft. He had another ulterior motive in entering the military and that was to qualify for the G.I. Bill. You can tell from that Ted was person of wisdom beyond his years.

In Vietnam he was assigned to a small team of advisors and Seabees that was tasked with building housing for Vietnamese Naval personnel and their dependents. Ted came away from that assignment with a great deal of satisfaction and respect for the Vietnamese people.  He put it this way: "The South Vietnamese people, sailors and their families are just like all the rest of us – they’re fathers, they’re brothers and sisters, aunts and uncles … they raise families just like we do.”

After his hitch in the Navy, Ted went to college then went back to working in construction where he put his knowledge of building as a Navy Seabee to work. He did that for eighteen years. In 1989 he became a civilian construction inspector and quality controller for the Department of Defense. He worked at F.E. Warren Air Force Base for 23 years. He stayed in the Naval Reserves after his active duty in Vietnam.

He retired in May 2012 but he still serves the military by volunteering with Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve. He now serves as the state chair for the ESGR committee, and he helped plan the 2015 Wyoming Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans event.

Durante remains upbeat about his Vietnam experience. Hope you enjoy listening to his story on the podcast.

Recently in the great State of Florida in the city of Lakeland three entities came together and produced something hopeful. The story about this interesting coming together is described in a story on WFLA News Channel 8 of Tampa, Florida titled: Lakeland veteran fights to get out the truth, honored by Congressman and was submitted by Channel 8 Investigative Reporter Steve Andrews.

Party of the first part was retired Air Force Master Sgt. Leroy Foster. For thirty years he has been trying and fighting to expose the truth about the ravages of Agent Orange, the infamous herbicide that was used extensively during the Vietnam War. Today Foster is beset with five cancers and 28 auto-immune diseases that are suspiciously similar to those caused by exposure to the dioxin found in Agent Orange. The problem for the Air Force retiree is that he served at Andersen AFB on Guam during the Vietnam War so he is excluded from receiving Agent Orange benefits. He did not have "boots on the ground" and in addition to that the VA asserts the dastardly herbicide was never used in Guam. The problem is that Foster helped apply thousands of gallons of a weed killer that came packaged in 55 gallon drums with orange stripes and was labeled herbicides by Dow Chemical. In other words it appears the VA is lying about the subject of the use and presence of Agent Orange in Guam during the Vietnam War, to Foster's detriment.

Party of the second part to this story is WFLA TV's Target 8 Program. In January reporter Steve Andrews interviewed Foster and brought his story to light. Foster said this about the WFLA reporter: “You guys are giving people with no voice, a voice, and you’re giving them hope that they’re being heard.” Andrews reporting for Target 8 led to the EPA launching an investigation.

The third party to this story is Congressman Ross. After hearing Foster's story he was moved to file a bill in Congress he calls the "Foster Act." Specifically it is known as HR-809 and its purpose is to expand Agent Orange treatment and benefits to veterans who served in certain areas of Thailand, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, American Samoa and for good measure he is including the Blue Water Navy Vietnam veterans into the mix.

When Vietnam Veterans came home from that war many times they were treated like yesterday's garbage. It was quite a letdown from their expectations. After serving and surviving a year in Vietnam where they endured tough circumstances as they battled a determined and elusive enemy in a challenging environment they had high expectations of a big welcome home from country and loved ones. Unfortunately those expectations of a big welcome home replete with parades, barbecue events and lots of yellow ribbons failed to materialize.

Vietnam Veterans were treated as if they were a stranger knocking on our collective door in the middle of the night and there was no answer from their country inside and their words were not heard. It was a terrible thing to endure for the veterans.

Thank the good Lord, America is a great nation and finally the day is dawning for a new appreciation for its Vietnam Veterans. The nation is at last beginning the see its Vietnam Veterans as the heroes they are. An effort by the Department of Defense known as the 50th Year Commemoration of the Vietnam War is leading the way in encouraging the holding of events to honor the veterans. Following the lead of the DOD Program events are being held across the country.

In this episode one of those events that will honor Vietnam Era Veterans will be highlighted. A press release in The Carmichael Times titled: Rancho Cordova Is Honoring Vietnam Vets from the City of Rancho Cordova tells about the occasion. The City of Rancho Cordova will honor all Vietnam War-era Veterans with a recognition event on Thursday, March 30th from 7-8 p.m., at Rancho Cordova City Hall, 2729 Prospect Park Drive.

All who were members of the armed forces from November 1, 1955 to May 15, 1975 are invited to attend the event. Each veteran in attendance will be presented with a lapel pin and proclamation as a lasting memento of the nation's gratitude. All qualifying veterans in Central California are encouraged to attend along with all those who would like to show their support and respect for those veterans.

More information for the event and reservations can be obtained from City Clerk Mindy Cuppy at (916) 851-8721 or [email protected].